Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Combined With Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents and Their Practices in Drug Extraction and Environmental Processes: a Review

Abstract

The integration of nanoparticles (NPs), either of metals or their oxides, with ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) has become a revolutionary approach to drug extraction and environmental remediation. The review is focused on the synergistic interactions of NPs and ILs/DESs, pointing out their high performance in the extraction process due to their unique physicochemical properties. The use of ILs and DESs provides tuned solubility, and selectivity in extraction, while NPs have high surface area, catalytic potential, and functional versatility. Attention is given to the current key developments of extraction methods, their applications in both pharmaceutical and environmental contexts are critically analyzed with a view to efficiency, scalability, and sustainability. Comparative discussion is presented regarding the use of ILs/ DESs concerning conventional solvents, toxicology reduction, reusability of solvent, and diminution of environmental impact. The review discusses several challenges with nanoparticle agglomeration, the stability of ILs/DESs under variable conditions, and regulatory issues. It also points out lacunae in knowledge and future directions, including advanced characterization techniques and molecular dynamics simulations for the optimization of such hybrid systems. This work therefore underlines the potentiality of NP-IL/DES systems as sustainable high-performance solutions for drug extraction and environmental applications. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.